The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-09-11
The Camp Meeting Of To-day.

The camp meeting season at Ocean Grove
Is practically at an end. The daily holiness
meeting may be continued for short time,
but both Ocean Grove and the adjoining
Asbury Park are now as empty OF visit
ors as the other seaside watering places.
When the thermometer falls so that
open-air assemblages are not inviting,
of course the camp meeting Is deserted,
and the pavilions along the beach in
which the people gather for the Sunday
evening praise meeting, as 1t ts called, no
longer are agreeable to the young men and
women who were accustomed to frequent
them in August.
The spiritual results OF the camp meeting
season are described as very encouraging by
those who have undertaken its direction.
At tho Young Peoples Temple alone it is re-
ported that the number OF conversions has
reached $50. but we have not yet obtained the
statistics OF the conversions as whole. Nor
do we get any returns Of the number OF matri-
monial engagements contracted during the
season, but they must have been very many,
perhaps more than those made at any other
watering place along our Atlantic coast.
The camp meetings bring great numbers OF
young people into the propinquity which is
said to stimulate the tender passion, and re-
liglous exercises, such as those of Ocean
Grove, have q tendency to soften the heart
and render it susceptible to sentimental Inn
pressions Of every kind. Besides, 1t is re-
ported that young women go to Ocean Grove
In the hope Of losing their hearts, If not OF
saving their souls
Alas too the devil has. as usual, put in an
appearance at Ocean Grove and Asbury
Park, and taken advantage OF the oppor-
tunities afforded by the unconventional life
Of the camp meeting season to lead astray
many young people. Therefore over against
the good accomplished during the sea-
son VIC must set very much that Is
evil. II there have been conversions, 80
also has there been frequent surrender
to the vicious temptations and allure
ments that beset frall mortality. The most
casual observer was sure to come away from
visit to this resort Of the revivalist with
the conviction strongly impressed upon him
that there was mischief around, so that he
questioned whether, after all. it was not the
devil who was reaping tho greatest harvest.
But let us hope that he was wrong. and that
the evil influences seemed to him more ac-
tive only because they were brought more
prominently to his attention than the gently
reformatory influences of true religion.
As to the religious exercises, they were re-
markable this year for their calmness and
reserve. The scoffers who went to Ocean
Grove expecting to find amusement in scenes
of wild, hysterical excitement, were sure to
leave disappointed. The camp meetings
differed very little In tone from those held In
ordinary Methodist houses Of worship at
this time. The preaching may have
been what the Methodists call search
Ing" but it was Of very quiet in
tensity. No attempt was made to
actually terrify the sinners 80 that women
should fall into violent commissions, and
even men lose their balance for the moment.
Such scenes no longer occur at Ocean Grove.
Both exhorters and listeners take more
temperate view Of religion, and any indica-
ton OF disposition to revive the old-time
physical excitement Is Immediately frowned
upon by the conductors Of the meetings.
Yet, with this violent manifestation Of
feeling has gone not a little OF the genuine
earnestness OF the meetings.; so that the
critical observer might question whether
the conviction Of sin and OF the need OF con-
version Is not less strong than 1t was in the
past whether the prevailing disposition to
religious doubt has not to some extent be-
gun to show itself. even among the Method
lists. DO they believe as earnestly as they
did in the days Of WESLEY and WHrrEFIELD
and AsBURY2 Is not the greater moder-
alton and conventionality so noticeable in
their churches and camp meetings an indi-
cation that they are coming into conform
lty with the world suggestive Of declining
vitality? Methodism has certainly lost much
of the spontaneous enthusiasm which gave
1t motive power in the past, and it Is doubt
full whether 1t has made any gain sufficient
to Offset the loss.